Document imaging node with internal web server execution environment

Abstract

An imaging node hosts a web server execution environment that exports document imaging services using server-side scripting. The web server execution environment receives Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) requests from a web browser and runs server-side scripts that resolve HTTP requests to native imaging services. A native imaging execution environment then executes the resolved native imaging services. Moreover, the web server execution environment can run server-side scripts that resolve HTTP requests to non-native imaging services and invoke the resolved non-native imaging services remotely as required.

1 . An imaging node, comprising:
 a native imaging execution environment; and   a web server execution environment operatively coupled with the native imaging execution environment, wherein a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request is received by the web server execution environment from a web browser and resolved within the web server execution environment to a native document imaging service, and wherein the native document imaging service is executed within the native imaging execution environment.   
     
     
         2 . The imaging node of  claim 1 , wherein the native document imaging service is resolved at least in part by executing a server-side script identified in the HTTP request. 
     
     
         3 . The imaging node of  claim 2 , wherein the native document imaging service is resolved at least in part by mapping a server-side scripting function called by the server-side script to the native document imaging service. 
     
     
         4 . The imaging node of  claim 1 , wherein the HTTP request is further resolved within the web server execution environment to a non-native document imaging service, and wherein the non-native document imaging service is remotely invoked by the web server execution environment. 
     
     
         5 . The imaging node of  claim 1 , wherein the web services execution environment transmits an HTTP response to the web browser. 
     
     
         6 . The imaging node of  claim 1 , wherein the HTTP request is generated by the web browser in response to a command inputted by a user. 
     
     
         7 . The imaging node of  claim 1 , wherein the native document imaging service is one of a print, scan, copy or fax service. 
     
     
         8 . The imaging node of  claim 1 , wherein the native document imaging service is one of an email, File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or HTTP document transfer service. 
     
     
         9 . The imaging node of  claim 1 , wherein the native document imaging service is an imaging node status monitoring service. 
     
     
         10 . The imaging node of  claim 1 , wherein the web browser is internal to the imaging node. 
     
     
         11 . A method for facilitating provisioning of document imaging services, comprising the steps of:
 resolving on an imaging node an HTTP request from a web browser to a native document imaging service using server-side scripting; and   executing on the imaging node the native document imaging service.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the resolving step comprises executing a server-side script identified in the HTTP request. 
     
     
         13 . The method  claim 12 , wherein the resolving step further comprises mapping a server-side scripting function called by the server-side script to the native document imaging service. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the steps of:
 resolving on the imaging node the HTTP request to a non-native document imaging service using server-side scripting; and   remotely invoking by the imaging node the non-native document imaging service.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of transmitting by the imaging node to the web browser an HTTP response. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the HTTP request is generated by the web browser in response to a command inputted by a user. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the native document imaging service is one of a print, scan, copy or fax service. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the native document imaging service is one of an email, FTP or HTTP document transfer service. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the native document imaging service is an imaging node status monitoring service. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the web browser is internal to the imaging node.